jose zamora

Mario Guevara: the only reporter in the United States sleeping in a prison cell for doing his job.

Jose Zamora — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 04:49:32 GMT

Mario Guevara, a longtime Salvadoran-American journalist based near Atlanta, was arrested on June 14 while livestreaming the “No Kings Day” protest, despite visibly identifying himself as press. Local prosecutors have since dropped every criminal charge—ranging from obstruction to traffic offenses—due to insufficient evidence. However, ICE continues to detain him in south Georgia, pursuing deportation even after a judge approved bond and his family attempted to pay it. During his time in custody, Guevara reports being shuffled among several jails and facing threats of extortion from other inmates. His legal team warns that his targeting reflects a broader pattern of retaliating against journalists and immigrants under the Trump administration. Over 20 years in the U.S., he’s built a reputation and audience for covering immigration enforcement, making his detention a high-profile test of press freedom and immigrant rights. Read more (via The Guardian)

Silenced by Fear: Foreign Reporters in the U.S. Erase Their Digital Footprint

Jose Zamora — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:09:03 GMT

Foreign journalists working in the U.S. are taking proactive steps—deleting bylines, trashing social profiles, avoiding travel—to protect themselves from political and administrative retaliation. This reflects growing anxiety over immigration and speech freedoms under the Trump administration and raises concerns about the vitality and diversity of U.S. journalism. Read more Source: Poynter

Public Media Cuts Devastate Rural and Underserved Communities

Jose Zamora — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 18:59:52 GMT

Brian Stelter wrote a helpful explainer on the impact of federal cuts to public media. Though framed as a move toward fiscal responsibility and neutrality, the approved cuts dismantle essential community services—particularly in rural and underserved regions. Read more Source: CNN